The present invention generally relates to dispensers for carbonated beverages and more particularly to a kit for retrofitting existing beverage dispensers in order to improve carbonation levels in the dispensed beverages.
Beverage dispensers are well known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,397,032 to Landers and U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,310 to Credle et al. provide background information for such devices. In a typical beverage dispenser, carbonated water is mixed with syrup to produce beverages such as carbonated soft drinks. The carbonated water is provided from a carbonation tank (or carbonator) where non-carbonated water is mixed with carbon dioxide. Typical beverage dispensers, however, provide beverages with lower levels of carbonation as compared to bottled and canned beverages. Carbonation levels may be improved by enhancing the efficiency of the carbonator.
Beverage dispensers typically include coils of tubing arranged in a serpentine fashion for cooling or chilling the water and syrups. In one type of beverage dispenser, the chill coils typically are embedded in a cold plate that is cooled by a store of ice. This type of beverage dispenser may be described as an ice-cooled dispenser. In another type of beverage dispenser, the chill coils are immersed in a water bath that is cooled by mechanical refrigeration. This type of beverage dispenser may be described as a counter-electric dispenser.
For ice-cooled dispensers, the carbonators typically are installed in a location remote from the main body of the beverage dispenser. For example, the carbonator may be installed in a back room while the main body of the beverage dispenser is in the general location where the beverages are dispensed and the chill coils are located. The distance between the carbonator and the main body of the beverage dispenser typically ranges from about five (5) feet to over one hundred (100) feet. In these systems, the carbonators generally are relatively large. For example, the carbonators in these systems may hold about two gallons of carbonated water.
For ice-cooled dispensers of this type, an ambient water supply is used to provide non-carbonated water into the carbonator. In other words, the non-carbonated water is not cooled or chilled before it is introduced into the carbonator. After the non-carbonated water is mixed with carbon dioxide in the carbonator, the carbonated water flows through tubing to a chill coil embedded in a cold plate that is cooled with a store of ice, as described above. Such a chill coil may be described as a post-chill coil because it is used to chill the carbonated water after it exits the carbonator. After the carbonated water is chilled by passing through the post-chill coil, the carbonated water flows through tubing to a manifold where it is distributed to valves for dispensing the carbonated beverages. Syrups are mixed with the carbonated water in valve nozzles.
Ice-cooled dispensers of this type (that is, remote, ambient carbonation with no pre-chill coil) generally provide carbonation levels of about 18-24 psi (single sniff). Although these carbonation levels are acceptable by present industry standards, they fall short of bottle and can quality (that is, about 26-27 psi (single sniff)). Moreover, carbonation levels can vary with ambient temperatures. For example, carbonation levels may increase during cooler winter months (when the ambient water temperature is lower) as compared to warmer summer months.
Ice-cooled dispensers have been developed that use a built-in carbonator (as opposed to a remote carbonator) in conjunction with a pre-chill coil for the non-carbonated water before it enters the carbonator and a post-chill coil for the carbonated water after it exists the carbonator. The pre-chill coil and the post-chill coil are both embedded in the cold plate. In order to improve carbonation levels, these dispensers may also use a high efficiency carbonator and thermal insulation for components such as the carbonator and the tubing that are exposed to ambient temperature conditions. Ice-cooled dispensers of this type may provide carbonation levels that are comparable to bottle and can quality, that is, about 26-27 psi (single sniff). Such dispensers may be characterized by high efficiency, built-in carbonators; thermal insulation to minimize heat transfer where components such as the carbonator and tubing are exposed to ambient temperature conditions; and the combination of a pre-chill coil and a post-chill coil that are both embedded in a cold plate cooled by a store of ice.
The present invention relates generally to a means of retrofitting an existing beverage dispenser of the ice-cooled type to improve carbonation levels in the dispensed beverages. Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a retrofitted ice-cooled beverage dispensing system including a beverage dispenser having an ice bin, a pre-chill coil proximate a store of ice within the ice bin; and an assembly having a carbonator in fluid flow communication with the pre-chill coil and a pump for pumping water through the system. Water flows through the pre-chill coil prior to entering the carbonator. The system also includes a gasket located along an upper edge of the ice bin. The gasket protects inlet and outlet lines of the pre-chill coil.
An embodiment of the present invention provides a system wherein water is diverted from a first plain water chill coil to a carbonator while water supplied to a second plain water chill coil flows to a first dispensing valve and a second dispensing valve through branched tubing. The first dispensing valve was originally associated with the first plain water chill coil. Another embodiment provides a system wherein branched tubing positioned downstream of the first plain water chill coil provides a fluid path to both the first dispensing valve and the carbonator.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method of enhancing the carbonation efficiency of an ice-cooled beverage dispenser. The method includes the steps of installing a pre-chill coil proximate to a store of ice within an ice bin; and connecting the pre-chill coil to a carbonator, wherein the pre-chill coil is connected to the carbonator through insulated tubing; and moving water through the dispensing system with a pump, such that water flows through the pre-chill coil before it flows through the carbonator.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method of enhancing the carbonation efficiency of an ice-cooled beverage dispensing device including the step of converting a plain water chill coil of the beverage dispensing device into a pre-chill coil for water entering a carbonator of the beverage dispensing device. The method also for water entering a carbonator of the beverage dispensing device. The method also includes the step of connecting a water outlet of the plain water chill coil to a water inlet of a carbonator. Further, the method includes the steps of branching tubing that extends from a water outlet of a second plain water chill; connecting one branch of the outlet tubing to a water inlet of a first plain water valve; and connecting another branch of the outlet tubing to a water inlet of a second plain water valve. Also, the method includes the step of passing water from the plain water chill coil through tubing in a cold plate.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method for enhancing the carbonation efficiency of an ice-cooled beverage dispensing device including the steps of branching tubing that extends from a water outlet of a plain water chill coil, connecting one branch of the outlet tubing to a water inlet of a carbonator, such that water flows from the plain water chill coil to the carbonator; and connecting another branch of the outlet tubing to a water inlet of a plain water valve, such that water flows from the plain water chill coil to the plain water valve. The method also includes the step of passing water from the plain water chill coil through tubing in a cold plate.